Re: TS Thread

["Tim Hancock" <timhancock@domain.elided>]

Vlad comments <Though, I think those 75 TS had what Alfa called "variatore di
fase"
associated with the ignition system, it oftenly broke down and mechanics had
a hard time figuring what was wrong (well, that's in Romania, where the
diagnostic systems for the unit were hard to find).>

The" variatore di fase" is the V.V.T. unit which is a little solenoid stuck on
the end of the inlet cam.When the engine reaches a certain revolutions/loading
(I don't know  what these figures are) the ECU sends a signal to the variator
which activates what I can best describe as a little dog clutch arrangement
(This might be a misdescription, but its the best I can think of). The effect
of this switch is to change the oil flow direction through a small mechanism
on the end of the cam which rotates the cam to its second position/phase for
higher speed running, as opposed to the low speed/ (and presumably)higher
torque setting.

 I'm sure variators do fail, but the three cars I've had so far have proved
utterly reliable . I was at the very very wet National Alfa Day at Stanford
Hall near Leicester on sunday and there were a couple of stalls selling 156 TS
Variators, so they are clearly considered a 'service' item. The new JTS engine
shuns all this in the name of emissions so the Twin Spark has run its course
it would seem.

I have never been sure of the TS firing process, and I have learnt a lot over
the last few digests, but I do recall reading somewhere that whilst the early
TS engines fired both sparks together, the later ones were phased in some way.
I don't know if this is bunkum or not, but I believed it!

All the same, what matters is that the TS engines with VVT have provided an
interesting and elegant engineering solution to providing low revolution
pulling power and high revolution brio, all within a fuel consumption profile
that is highly respectable in their context. The game has changed however and
emissions legislation means that new solutions have had to be found. I for one
have found the three early 8 valve, cam chain driven TS engines I have owned
utterly reliable, vice free and great fun to drive, particularly in the 75. I
will miss them when they finally go as, with any Alfa, they really are the
heart of the matter.

Tim Hancock  164 TS, 164 Super

I did wonder if any Brit would bring up "1066 and all that" in the context of
Veni Vidi Vici. The only comment I can add is "Cabriolus,
cabriolus...cabriolus"...which is the Latin for " Deer, Roe Deer..Roe Deer"
(say it quickly) Its also been established that Julius Caesar landed in
Britain at Pevensey in 55 B.C. Now the bright ones amongst us in class have
always wondered how on earth Julius Caesar knew it was B.C. To divert even
further, Julius C. noted that the Brits of that era painted themselves with a
dark blue dye called Woad. Not more than two miles from where I type is a
street called "Woad Farm Road" which demonstrates just how far behind the
times we are in Lincolnshire. No wonder the Romans gave up and went home
eventually, but they did leave their slaves behind when they cleared
off.....They came from all over the ancient Roman Empire, and their gene pool
can still be identified in such places as the Forest of Dean where the Romans
grew all their shipbuilding materials, and where the slaves were left to get
on with their lives as best they could from 400 A.D. onwards. (Don't believe a
word of it, I make it up as I go along)
--
to be removed from alfa, see /bin/digest-subs.cgi
or email "unsubscribe alfa" to majordomo@domain.elided